about

I know our lives are made up of little simple moments which arrive unexpectedly, but come to be the special ones.

Join me as I attempt to capture and celebrate the true happiness these tiny simple joys bring every day.

" Tell us a bit about yourself:

I
was named after my parents' favorite French singer Sylvie Vartan. It may partly explain
my deep love for Art. Born in Bulgaria, I now call Toronto home, where I live with my smart and kind teenage
son, my thoughtful and caring husband and our handsome and mischievous Chocolate
Labrador. And if e-mail doesn't exist, you'd probably say I am a kind woman with an European English accent.

Explain what you do in 100 words or less:

I
photograph, I write, I teach, I learn, I parent, I travel and try to live in
the present moment, paying attention to the small joys in life. I photograph
food, people, places and all kinds of pretty things as I participate in different
projects as well as write editorials for various magazines.

What is your background? How/when
did you become interested in photography?

I
hold a Master’s degree in Education and have devoted years of teaching and lecturing in strong belief I was doing what I was born to do. One day, under
the right set of circumstances, I guess, it struck me - the classroom become too “tight”
and noisy in order to fulfill my creative and spiritual needs. In January of 2011, I began to write
a blog about life’s simple pleasures and since I am an extremely visual person,
I wanted to visualize my thoughts so I started shooting. Something began to
shift in me. My sense of time changed. I was absorbed by the activity of capturing
and expanding the tiny whispers of all kind of beauty that was available around
me. I was in my element. I was
challenged again. I was hungry to learn. The support and encouragement I
received from family, friends and readers was astonishing. Since then I have attended numerous photography courses and workshops, and have fulfilled with Honours the required program of study in Photographic Thechniqies from the School of Media Studies & Information Technology - Humber Collage. Food and still life somehow
naturally have stood out as my favorite photography. Perhaps, it is because,
it greatly involves styling, props and romantic light. It is a process that begins
long before the click of the shutter button and extends beyond it. How I am
going to interpret the muffins for my son’s bake sale, or my mom’s tomato juice
into intriguing, inspiring image endlessly fascinates me.

What emotional reaction are you
hoping for when someone sees your imagery?

To
be honest, I am not motivated by the reaction of others. I shoot because it
moves me and makes me infinitely happy. Photography gives me a tool to materialize
my inner feelings, thoughts and ideas for life. I know that a piece of art can
speak differently to people since all perceive it in their own way, so in the
end, judgments of this kind are purely subjective. Having said that, I am also
aware of the fact that if an artist knows who he is, stays honest to his true
self and follows his aesthetic sense, people respond to it in a very kind and
positive way. Artwork as such inevitably
affects others, makes them feel good, and encourages them to look closer and create.
In Picasso’s words “ The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off
our souls”. I like his definition; yet, if my photography possesses means to cause
viewers to give pause, reflect and rejoice in the simplicity of ordinary, everyday
moments, it would be more than enough.

Where do you take your inspiration from?

As cliché as it may sound, inspiration can be found everywhere; as long as my heart and mind are open to let it in. I am inspired by books, art, nature, sun’s light and places but most importantly by people who tune in to their most authentic self and live their best lives.

How would you describe your photographic style?

I am not very sure I have developed my photography style yet. This is so, because I believe it is a journey that takes time. It is an extension of your personality; the way you see things, the choices you make, what is important to you, and your perception of beauty are presented through the images you take. Since I am constantly changing, learning, thus evolving, I believe my photography style undergoes corresponding changes as well. However, no matter whether I am capturing the emotions of the human face, the food I have just prepared for my family, or a part of the world I have never imagined I will find myself in, I am always aware of the fact that there is a story to be told. For example, everytime I style and shoot food, I aspire to create an honest, organic, unpretentious, friendly and approachable representation of the subject, when the eyes are drawn to the food and the viewer is inspired to expand the beauty of the food to his own. I use natural, soft light, subtle color schemes, simple composition and styling using vintage pieces as props.

What about that style appeals to you?

This style creates idyllic atmosphere, yet, natural and accessible. The photo is ordinary, rather spontaneous with casual everyday feel that inspires, touches, evokes enjoyment of preparing and eating food, and eventually motivates for putting on the apron and running to the kitchen. Even though, I like glossy, sharp, stunningly beautiful images with dramatic (studio) light, but they seem too perfect and “museum-like” to me that they often distance the audiences in an “I-am-not-able-to-do-that” way.

Are there certain
“props” you use to help you convey your vision?

I am
passionate about all things vintage and own a substantial collection of vintage
items. I predominantly collect old china teacups and saucers, white ironstones,
silver spoons and forks, kitchen gadgets, mirrors, old postcards and books. I
also inherited gorgeous hand-woven European linens from my grandma, which I tremendously
cherish. Every other Sunday is devoted to antiquing and flea markets, looking
for new finds.

What do you do when
you feel uninspired? Where do you look to recharge your creativity?

The
primary fuel of my creativity is nature with the rhythm of the seasons. Walking
with the trees or on the country road, in the woodland, garden or on the beach,
I take in the sights and sounds, smells and textures of every leaf, flower, bird,
stone and sunset… The divine artistry of nature always brings me back to the
essence of being, to the one-ness of all things and somehow the balance and inspiration
gracefully returns.

When you are at your
best possible version of yourself, who are you? What does this person want you
to put your energy toward?

I
tend to believe that the self-aware, more simple, yet sophisticated, humble,
grateful and ego-less me is the best version of myself. Sylvia as this is open to
communicate with others and share her love, vulnerability, appreciation and
enjoyment of life. My energy is put toward creating prose and images, which I
hope, would help me and others to live simple and meaningful lives, to dig deep
down to find this sense of “I” that is disentangled from things, labels,
opinions, expectations, social roles, race, profession and past times.

How do you handle setbacks in regard to your artistic work?
How do you implement changes?

I
have come to a point in my life where I accept difficult situations without deep
fear. I have seen failure, disappointments and rejections. Being an optimist by
nature, I try to keep in mind that a setback is only temporary; after all,
setbacks happen to all of us. My strong roots are in place and I trust my judgments.
I keep going on creating by giving the best I am capable of because taking
photos is what I love to do and I have to be willing to accept what it takes. I
read, I visit exhibitions; I try to be familiar with everything that is going
on in the field of photography and art in general. I am still working on making
uncertainty and imperfection my friends, though. Teaching taught me to be
flexible. Photography has also showed me that I cannot always control the
outcomes. Things do not always work out the way they are planned. With such
attitude, implementing changes in regards of my artistic work is quite easy and
normal, but never for the expense of my aesthetic sense. ..."

(the entire interview is published in the Summer Issue, 2014 of Scarlet Pink Magazine)

WANT TO WORK ON A PROJECT TOGETHER?

I am available for photography projects, product photos, portraits, family sessions as well as small event photography.

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